Review Tour: Office Mate: Katie Ashley

From the first time I played army as a kid, the military has been my life. As an Airborne Major, I’d led my men through two tours in Afghanistan. But when my father was elected president, I became an even greater target for the enemy—a prize for someone to take out. To ensure not only the safety of myself, but of my men, I got stripped of my cammies, shoved into an Armani suit, and placed into a management position at my father’s company. After years of trekking through the desert with an assault rifle, I was way out of my area of expertise, which my transition coordinator was more than happy to let me know on a daily, if not hourly basis. The brunette bombshell would be the death of me in more ways than one, especially since I hadn’t been with a woman since my last deployment. She’s turning out to be one of the greatest foes I’ve ever done battle with.

Isabel

In the backwoods Georgia town I was born in, you either married right out of high school or got the hell out of town. I chose the second and never looked back. After graduating top in my class, I started working for The Callahan Corporation. Fast forward five years and I was about to become the youngest female manager in the history of my department. And then all the blood, sweat, and tears I’d put into my career were for nothing when the boss’s billionaire son was handed my position on a silver platter. Not only that, I was expected to help transition him into the job that was supposed to be mine. Sure, he’s easy on the eyes with his chiseled good-looks and impossibly built physique, but I’m not going to let that distract me. I hope soldier boy is good at military strategy because sabotage is the name of the game I’ll be playing.

Isabel Flannery was so close to achieving her dream job. After working diligently and planning to meet all of her work goals, she was next-in-line to be promoted to VP of the Callahan Corporation. Her hard-working perfectionism and control freak attitude made her stand out in her fast-paced, challenging work environment.

And then he arrived...Thorn Callahan. The Callahan son forced to give up his career in the military for security reasons since his father is now President. What's a little nepotism? He is angry and resentful about his situation. And he was not expecting to get flack from the woman who is supposed to train him in his new job. An unexpected and awkward first impression does not help matters.

He turns off the charm and dons his a**hole armor to deflect his attraction and to avoid any workplace repercussions from that. And she is mad enough to want to play a bit dirty and maybe make him look bad in the process. Anything between them would be forbidden and fodder for gossip no matter how much sexual tension sparks between their angry tirades. And he has to watch out for his own reputation and he is used to following a code of honor. So things are about to get messy, complicated, ugly...maybe a bit out of control.

There's antagonism, attraction, hidden agendas, sabotage, and scheming. They do not want to want or need the other. They push, challenge, fuss, and fight. But as they start to let down their guards, a truce begins to form. And eventually even a friendship. And that sexual tension and attraction that just seems to keep growing. But he's still her boss and it's his family's company. Getting too friendly with the boss is not a good plan for a woman who thrives on succeeding in her career. Anything between them is still off limits and could have repercussions. And his family situation just puts them even more in the spotlight.

But when the lines keep getting blurred, where will that leave them? Is a chance at love worth the risks?

It brings back the characters from Running Mate: his brother Barrett and Addison, his parents, and his bodyguard, Ty. This is a slow-burn, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers forbidden romance with humor and feels. I really liked their banter whether they were fighting or having fun as friends or being romantic. They had great chemistry and rapport. I adored Thorn even when he was trying to be a jerk, but loved his vulnerability too. They were both strong, stubborn personalities, but also had good hearts and really needed someone to understand and see them. But there were also complications and challenges that made it a delicate situation. This one ran through many changes in their interpersonal dynamics so it kept me entertained and interested throughout.

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thorn Callahan never wanted to follow in the family business. As long as he could remember, the Army has been his dream. But now that his father is the President of the United States, he can’t serve in the way always dreamed.

Isabel Flannery has been working at the Callahan Corporation. She has almost met her goal of reaching VP, and has been assured when a position opens it is hers. What she didn’t anticipate was Thorn arriving just before the position was officially offered to her, and snatching it up without putting in the work.

These two are oil and water and this book is a true enemies to lovers. From the very beginning, there is animosity between them. Anger and resentment makes for tense days, especially as Thorn tamps down his growing attraction for Isabel and she plans ways to make it difficult for Thorn to complete his job. I struggled a bit with the beginning of the book. Some of Isabel’s pranks took it further than I was comfortable with. But I am glad I kept reading because the second half of the book made up for my discomfort early on.

Beyond my initial struggles though, I loved these characters and their story arc. There is so much building tension between them, and their working relationship was fun to watch develop. They really do transition from strangers to enemies to lovers in an scheming, redemptive, natural way. The story head in directions I wouldn’t have guessed from the beginning and pulled me back into the characters and their struggles.

The tension between them is cut with some fun intervention from Barrett, Addison, and particularly Ty. There is another addition, courtesy of Isabel trying redeem herself, who adds another fun aspect to the story.

This was a fun enemies to friends to lovers story with workplace competition and political/media drama added in. I always know Katie Ashley’s stories are going to keep me entertained and this was no exception!

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The name’s Barrett Callahan. Yeah, that Barrett Callahan—the one the press dubbed “Bare” after those naked sexting pictures surfaced. At twenty-five, I was armed with an MBA from Harvard, an executive position at my father’s Fortune 500 company, a penthouse, and a different piece of delectable eye candy in my bed every weekend. I had a life most men dreamed of. But then my father decided to run for president, and my playboy lifestyle became a liability to his campaign that was built on family values. My “makeover” comes in the form of a fake fiancée who I don't even get to choose--one who is an uptight, choirgirl acting priss but also sexy-as-hell.

Addison

My latest relationship had gone down in flames, and I was drowning in a sea of student loans when in true Godfather status, James Callahan made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. Seven figures for seven months on the campaign trail pretending to be the adoring fiancée of his son, Barrett. As soon as he won the election, our engagement would be dissolved amicably for the press, I was free to ride off into the sunset a million dollars richer, and because of the NDA, no one would be the wiser. Sure, I’d never met the guy, but I’d been a theater nerd in high school. I could pull off any role from Lady Macbeth to Maria Von Trapp. But that was before I met my fake fiancé—the infuriating, self-absorbed, egotistical, drop-dead-sexy King of the Manwhores.

The race will be a fight to the death finish, and that’s not even the actual campaign.

Katie Ashley is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author of both Indie and Traditionally published books. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her daughter, Olivia, and her spoiled mutt, Duke. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Shakespeare, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Scooby-Doo.

With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolescent English Education, she spent eleven years teaching both middle and high school English, as well as a few adjunct college English classes. As of January 2013, she hung up her red pen and expo markers to become a full-time writer. Each and every day she counts her blessings to be able to do her dream job.

Although her roots are firmly planted in the red Georgia clay, she loves traveling the country and world to meet readers and hang out with fellow authors. When she’s not writing or chasing down her toddler, you might find her watching reruns of The Golden Girls, reading historical biographies, along with romance novels, or spending way too much time on Facebook.

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The books reviewed on this blog are purchased with our own money, won in a giveaway, or have been provided by an author, publisher, publicist/tour company, Netgalley, or Edelweiss. If we've received the book from any of the above promotional companies they come free of charge in exchange for our honest review. This, however, does not affect our opinions of the books or the content of our reviews.